How to Strengthen Your Startup Team – Here are Some Tips
A startup that is blessed with a strong team that clicks well together is more likely to succeed than one which is not. Sharp-eyed observers will say that when scrutinizing a startup’s journey towards success, it can be pointed out that besides working on effective communication and building a healthy culture, a startup’s team members all want to feel invested and involved in their work. Indeed, this is a hallmark of startups whose members are driven by passion and love for the work they are doing and contributing to.
There are many reasons as to why people choose to do the work they do, or choose to be in the team they are currently in. While a good pay may be an attractive incentive for some, for most startups it is the opportunities and avenues for growth and self-exploration as well as the chance to be an agent for positive, impactful change that brings together like-minded individuals to establish a startup. These startup teams are nimble and flexible, able to adapt to changing market conditions fluidly, and are not afraid to make mistakes so long as they can learn from them.
Therefore, a startup’s leader should build a team from the ground up and establish its character and work culture early on so that everyone on board has a clear picture of what the startup is about. The leader should delegate responsibilities to each team member, and trust the members to carry them out. This means that, not only is the leader willing to give a team member executive duties, the leader also trusts the member to be capable enough so that the leader does not need to make executive decisions on the member’s behalf. In fact, for a startup team to truly grow and succeed, the members must be able to make important decisions by themselves without needing the leader to make it for them. It goes without saying that it is important for the leader to trust the team members and respect their abilities; after all, if they weren’t experts or knowledgeable about what they do, they won’t be there in the first place.
It helps all of the team’s members if the leader is able to provide a clear vision of what the company’s goals and objectives are; this will in turn give the members a well-defined roadmap for which to base their decision-making on. After all, being a leader is about inspiring the team and bringing out their best, not micromanaging and dictating them as if they are cogs in a well-oiled machine. Therefore, it is a good habit for a leader to build clear, detailed project plans and then go over them with each team member so that everyone is on the same page.
It is good practise for a leader to share with team members the good results or outcomes of any important venture or achievement that the startup has accomplished as it keeps the team motivated and moving in the right direction. However, it is just as important for the leader to share the failures and losses. Why is this so? Because transparency and honesty fosters trust. People do know that mistakes are made all the time, and keeping the team members informed, whether it is good news or bad news, encourages open communication that may lead to enlightening discussions. As well, team members can provide valuable insight and feedback that may offer new solutions or improvements to the issue at hand. A wise leader knows that it is detrimental to the company if team members are kept in the dark about important developments and matters as it sows doubt and confusion.
A startup’s progress from an idea to a unicorn is a shared journey among its team members that serves to enrich everyone involved. It is extremely satisfying for a leader to see everyone’s passion and drive be richly rewarded with each milestone or accomplishment that the startup achieves. After all, it is the building of a strong team that lays the foundation for a startup’s future success.
